Bridge-guard



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. AYRES-- BRIDGE GUARD.

(No Model.)

No. 408,064. Patented July 80, 1889.

fall" "du" rNo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. AYRES.` BRIDGE GUARD.

810.408.084. Patented July 80, 1888.

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UNITED STATES JAMES AYRES, OF

BRIDGE- KEOKUK, IOIVA.

GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,064, dated July 30, 1889.

Application led May 27, 1889. Serial No. 312,273.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .I AMES AYRES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Keokuk, in the county of Iiee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridge-Guards, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to bridge-guards; and it consists, primarily, in the employment of a flexible guard or gate adapted to be moved by the bridge.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved guard with the bridge in position for use and the guard thrown to one side out of the way; Fig. 2, a similar View, with the bridge open and the guard in position to protect the passage-way; and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 views illustrating certain details.

A indicates the bridge proper, adapted to swing horizontally, and B B the piers or abutments.

Upon the piers or abutments are secured uprights C C, which carry at their upper ends the curved supporting track or rail D, as shown in Figs. l, 2, andv 3, and said track eX- tending at right angles across the roadway or passage way, but high enough above the same as not to interfere with t-he travel of vehicles, and also extending along one side of the pier, so as to be readily supported by the uprights on the pier.

It is not necessary to extend the track around the side of the abutment, as shown, as it may extend in a line parallel with the front face of the latter.

Mounted upon the track or rail D is a iexible guard or gate E, which is composed o'fa series ot connected sections F, of the form represented in Fig. 6. Each section F is com posed of an upright rod a, an upper cross-bar l), a lower cross-bar c, and an intermediate crossbar d. The lcross-bars l), c, and d are provided at one end with a perforated lug or tonguec and at the opposite end with perforated ears f, and when the lugs .of one section are inserted between the ears of the ad jacent section and connected by pins'or bolts g, as shown in Figs. l and 2, the sections will be found to be flexibly but securely fastened together.

(No model.)

Secured to the upper end of the rod or bar a is a grooved wheel h, to run on the upper edge of the track, while on the same face of the rod or bar is a second wheel t', adapted to run on the lower edge of the track.

In order to keep the gate or guard as a whole away from the outer face of the track or rail, the upper cross-bar will advisably be provided with wheels or rollers yj, to run against or in contact with the rail. The intermediate cross-bar CZ will ordinarily be placed iive feet (more or less) from the lower end of the guard, and a single rod or bolt g employed to connect the cross-bars c d of adjacent sections, thus making it practically impossible for children to get through the guard or gate.

The sections F may be made more or less ornamental in appearance, as desired, and it is likewise obvious that the form of hinge or connection between the sections and the arrangement of the friction and supporting wheels are matters that may be varied without in any way departing from the spiritof my invention.

Each section F may be provided with the friction-wheels and the supporting-wheels, or some may be provided with the frictionwheels only and some with the supportingwheels only, these matters depending upon the circumstances attending the particular gate or guard to be built and other considerations. The lower edge of the guard or gate E will advisably be guided and steadied in its movements by means of wheels or rollers 7c 7c,secured in the side wall of the abutment, and a roller or rollers Z at the center of the latter, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

Hinged or pivoted to the outer face of the gate or guard E at its upper end is a gravi- Jrating dog or catch fm, which when the gate is in the position shown in Fig. 2 engages with the track or rail D and prevents persons from moving or opening said guard or gate.

A stop n on the track or rail is adapted to be engaged by a pin or stud on the guard or gate, so as to limit the movement of the latter in closing, while a stop at the opposite end of the track is adapted to limit the movement of the guard in opening.

In order to operate the gate, I mount upon IOO the bridge an upright (or uprights) G, which has at its upper end an inclined arm'q, which is arranged in such manner that as the bridge is swung around to closed position this arm will strike against the horizontal arm 1' of the latch or dog and cause the latter to ride up the inclined face ot said arm q, thereby raising the latch out of engagement with the track or rail.

As the bridge continues its movement, an arm or lug s on the face of the upright next to the track or rail cornes into engagement with the end of the gate or guard and carries the same back out of the way, as shown in Fig. l.

Projecting from one edge of the upright G is a hook t, which is adapted to engage with a hook or luguon the end of the guard or gate E the arrangement of the hooks being such that when the bridge is being opened it will, almost the instant it begins to move, carry the guard or gate with it. As soon as the gate reaches the limit of'it-s movement, the hook t will ride out ot engagement with the hook u, thereby allowing the bridge to continue its movement.

Vhile in the drawings I have shown the gate or guard applied to only one end of the bridge or to one abutment, I wish it distinctly understood that I do not limit myself to one only, as it is obvious that the perfect guarding of the approaches to the bridge can only be secured by the use of two guards or gatesone at each end of the bridge.

It desired, the track or rail maybe incased to protect it from snow and ice, which would interfere with the perfect ruiming of the guard; but as this idea is old and well known I have not considered it necessary to illustrate it.

It will be noted that there are no tracks or guiding-rails on the road-bed, the latter being lett smooth and unobstructed.

From the foregoing' description it will be noted that there is absolutely no chance Jfor the roadway or passage-way being lett unprotected, for the guard or gate is actuated positively in both directions vand is drawn across the roadway at the instant the bridge begins to move out of position. It will also be noted that the operation of the guard or gate is automatic, all of the movements ot the latter being effected through the bridge, and as the guard is light but little additional power is required to operate it.

The details may be varied both as to the construction of the gate and its supports, and also as to the means for automatically connecting and disconnecting the bridge and gate, without departing from the principle of the invention.

The ends of the bridge and face of the abutment are curved on the arc ot a circle, and that portion of the track or rail over the roadway is also curved correspondingly; but it will be observed that the end ot' the track is made straight for a short distance, so as to facilitate the disconnection of the hooks or projections t and u, which begin to separate at the moment the guard enters upon the straight part of the track.

While the guard or gate herein shown is designed particularly for use in connection with a bridge, it is obvious thatit is capable of application to other uses.

Having thus described my invention, wh at I claim isl. In combination with a bridge and its abutment, an elevated track or rail located upon the abutment, a flexible guard suspended from the track, and a locking device carried by the guard and adapted to engage the rail, all substantially as shown.

2. In combination with a bridge and its abutment, a track or rail secured in position upon the latter, a eXible gate or guard mounted upon the track and provided with a hook or projection, as u, and a hook or proj ection, as t, carried by the bridge, said parts being arranged in such manner that when the guard has reached the limit of its movement its hook or projection will be in such position as to permit the ready disengagement of the projection on the bridge.

In combination with a bridge and its abutment, curved as shown, a track or rail curved correspondingly and provided with a straight portion, and a iiexible guard mounted thereon and provided with a hook or projection to be engaged by a projection upon the bridge.

4. In combination with a bridge and its abutment, a iexible guard or gate provided at one end with a projection, as u, and hooks or projections s and t, secured to the bridge, one ot' said projections t being adapted to engage the guards lug u when the bridge is being opened, and the other lug s serving to return the guard to its position.

5. In combination with the abutment and the track or rail thereon, a IieXible guard or gate mounted upon the track, an automatic locking-dog, a bridge provided with an upright, an inclined arm q carried by the upright, and projections s t, also carried by the upright to engage the guard.

6. In combination with the abutment, the track or railD thereon, flexible guard or gate E, provided with wheels h to run on the track, a guide-roller to steady the lower edge ot the guard or gate, and abridge adapted and arranged to actuat-e the guard.

7. A flexible guard composed of a series of hinged sections F, comprising upright rod or bar a, upper, lower, and intermediate crossbars i), c, and d, perforated at their ends, as shown, and bolts or pins pivotally connecting the cross-bars ot adjacent sections.

8. A flexible guard or gate for bridges and the like, comprising a series of connected sections F, each section being composed of an upright rod a, wheels h and to run on the up IIO tions, and a supporting-Wheel at the upper end of one of the sections.

In witness whereof l hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES AYRES.

Witnesses:

J. F. SMITH, W. J. SCHLOTTER. 

